INDICATOR-BASED WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF RENA MEDIUM RESERVOIR, LATUR, MAHARASHTRA

Abstract

The Rena Medium Reservoir, located in Renapur Taluka, Latur district, Maharashtra, India, was built in 2000 and serves important domestic, agricultural, and industrial purposes. Rena Medium Reservoir and the Rena River's water quality have suffered over the last ten years due to urbanization, population increase, and intensive agriculture. Using five sample locations in the Riverine Zone, Transition Zone, and Lacustrine Zone, the research study was carried out from December 2021 to May 2022. An analysis was conducted on fifteen parameters using water samples and monthly in-situ data. Mean DO levels during winter were found to be over 8 mg/L, while during summer they were found to be less than 5.7 mg/L, according to phytoplankton analysis. It was discovered that the levels of turbidity exceeded the recommended threshold in every location, and the presence of thermo-tolerant Coli formed, a sign of non-potable water that needs to be properly treated. An additional 34 genera of algae were identified in the study, of which 23.38% were blue-green algae, a sign of contaminated water in the riverine zone and downstream. Investigations into the current state of the Rena Medium Reservoir's water quality, as well as its seasonal and geographical fluctuations and the impact of human activity on the water, are the goals of this study. In order to improve the management of water resources, other reservoir systems can benefit from the application of the gathered data to the development of mathematical models that forecast changes in water quality brought on by development activities.